Hermes' Wings Were Black
by death-in-the-orchard
Summary: Abraham van Hellsing, Alexander Anderson, and Alucard...Anderson falls one hundred years into the past. Warning: mature theme, language, and some gore...


Green eyes opened and then blinked behind the bronze rimmed glasses as the priest looked around himself. Gloom clung to the very air, infecting him with a feeling of intimidation and a chill that made him shudder. Suddenly a man, aged, though with a significant build, open two oak doors that stood before the priest. The blue eyes met the green pair and the two men watched one another for a moment. The blue-eyed man smirked and stepped towards the other.

"You are not the first Catholic, or Iscariot for that matter, to come here for this." The smirk held as the green eyes widened in surprise and then his brow furrowed in confusion, not knowing who the blue-eyed man was.

"I am Abraham van Hellsing, in person, to greet you, which is not a very common thing my friend. But neither is it common to get visitors or those interested in this, from the Iscariot."

Anderson stared at the man. Hell…Abraham van Hellsing? He's dead. These thoughts flashed through the priest's mind but he managed to shake the man's hand when it was offered, too stunned to care that he was a Protestant.

Abraham paused, observing the other man's face. His smirk renewed and he chuckled lightly. "Ones from the Vatican are always so quiet… Come. Let's not delay much more, I am a rather busy man."

Not understanding if this was a dream or reality, Anderson followed the deceased Hellsing out the oak doors and through the mansion until they descended a stair down into the dungeons. Everywhere, the gloom filtered like a miasma, building shapes that shifted on their own. Abraham caught the priest watching the shadows.

"Yes, they are quite annoying, but that is part of why I let those like yourself come here."

Anderson stared at the back of the man who had continued to walk when Anderson's own steps had faltered. The shadows grew darker and seemed to peer at him with intelligence.

"Damn vampire."

Green eyes flicked to the man again, away from the shadows when he heard him mutter. Vampire…? His mind reeled, realizing at what point in history he was present. The hated Hellsing vampire? But the man spoke of him with such venom, while he remembered no such tone in Integra Hellsing's voice when she referred to the monster.

A thick, steel door, though it could have been plated silver, screeched when Abraham carelessly flung it open and stuffed his ringlet of keys back into his pocket. Anderson hadn't realized they had stopped at the door, but he entered as the man did. It was pitch black. Suddenly, an invisible candle was lit by the strike of a match, and Hellsing circled around the cell, setting light to the medieval like torches on the stone walls. His eyes followed the man and soon found the blue eyes watching him, questioning for a moment.

"The vampire is behind you." Hellsing said quietly, making Anderson whip around. How could he not have sensed the monster? His answer made his lips part, shock rolling over him. Hanging from the wall, was a dark figure, recognizable only for his fair ebony hair that swept before his face, hiding it. He was hanging from cuffs, attached to the wall. The vampire didn't even flinch, almost appearing to be a suspended corpse. Anderson blinked when Abraham stalked passed him, growling and mumbling curses in a foreign tongue. He took out the keys and reached up to unlock the cuffs individually. He then turned from the vampire. "Detach them." He ordered, without looking at the figure.

Anderson watched silently as the vampire followed the order and fell to the floor in a crouch, not straightening until Hellsing barked another order at him. Abraham gave a frustrated huff and looked at Anderson whose eyes traveled to his stare.

"One of these sessions always curbs his spirit." He paused and looked at the wall behind Anderson, making the priest turn to look also. His eyes widened at the glinting metal collage of weapons that he had failed to notice before. "Anything is fine, it doesn't matter as long as he doesn't turn into a pile of dust." Here Hellsing paused to leer at the vampire. "Though I doubt sometimes that he could be reduced to such a thing, no matter how many times I cut off his head or how many stakes I impaled his heart on, he wouldn't die. Now I've gotten used to him, seeing that with some work on the seal I could come to control him entirely. Maybe even take away his thoughts…a more perfect slave that wouldn't constantly be imaging my death."

He turned to the door without another word, surprising Anderson further. His green eyes went to the silent black figure. "Vampire?" he muttered without thinking, unused to Alucard's silence.

Here he heard the sound of Hellsing's boots stop and he turned to find blue eyes facing him.

"You're the first to try to speak to him." Anderson remained quiet and Abraham's eyes traveled to the vampire for a moment and he scowled. "Don't bother, it's useless. He hasn't spoken in years now. I don't know if he has much of a mind left to even hold a conversation. Though," Abraham's eyes glinted. "…he does scream pretty well."

Anderson started but before he could speak Hellsing had slipped out the door and closed it behind him. A moment passed and Anderson turned back to the vampire who stood next to the wall, his face still hidden behind his hair. His boots clicked on the stone as the priest walked towards the vampire, stopping only feet away from it.

"Alucard?" no response came, so Anderson repeated the question a few times until it grew to be annoying even in his own ears. Growling his fist struck Alucard's hidden face and the vampire staggered and gasped in astonishment at the priest's strength. He looked up and stared at Anderson with wide eyes, but he didn't speak.

"Why don't you hit me back?" Anderson frowned as Alucard lost his expression of surprise and bent his head so that the priest couldn't see his face. The paladin tried hitting him again, but this time he received no response. "Speak! I know you can!" Anderson snarled at the continued silence and gripped the vampire's black garment and threw him into the wall and then pinned him against the grey stone. "You must have some part in why the Hell I'm here!"

Alucard stiffened and he glanced at Anderson.

"Vampire! What have you done? Why am I here in your cursed past?"

Alucard had straightened and his eyes showed his confusion and his lips parted for a moment but closed and his mouth formed a line.

"Take me back! I don't want to be here!" he shook the vampire, as his temper flared. "Take me back, you damned demon spawn!"

Alucard's eyes hardened, giving a look that clearly said that he thought that the priest was completely insane. Anderson glowered at Alucard before he threw him into the floor and took out two bayonets. Some surprise passed over Alucard's features but it fell away and he waited as the paladin advanced, his eyes directed at the floor.

Anderson stopped before plunging the blades into the vampire, finding no defense ready to block the attack. He remembered the words Hellsing had spoken and he glanced at the back wall, his eyes running over the tools for torture. He looked down at Alucard.

"Why am I here? Even if you will not tell me why you've brought me here, why does Hellsing think I'm here?" He glared when Alucard didn't respond. The silver blade glinted in the torchlight as it slashed downward, across Alucard's face, flinging a line of blood to settle against the stone floor before the priest's boot. "What sessions? What am I supposed to do? Hurt you? Torture you?" his face contorted in disgust. "A pathetic creature like you?"

Just then the door opened, but as Hellsing walked in both of the men froze. A low chuckle from the vampire erupted into a fit of crazed laughter.

Abraham stared at Alucard and then at the seething priest. He noted the bloodied bayonet with a raise of his eyebrows. "I came back to tell you that time is also not an issue, though I'll be leaving shortly and won't be back for a few days." He watched the vampire who had since quieted. "How did you make him do that?"

Anderson paused. "I called him pathetic."

"Hm." Abraham pondered the statement for a moment, but lost interest. "I'll be taking my leave. My men know that you are here, but don't let any of them in the cell. They would eventually kill him if left alone with the vampire for too long." Abraham stopped to watch as Anderson's rage refused to cool. "Do you have a personal grudge against the vampire?"

Anderson's eyes glinted, giving Abraham his answer. Hellsing's lips curled into a dark smile. "Then I'll tell you, though you may not be the type, but he only shows fear when confronted with the possibility of rape." His smile persisted while Anderson's face paled. "Have fun, then."

Anderson stared at the door in disbelief as the sound of its closing echoed in the cell. He looked at the vampire who was by his feet. The slash on his face had healed.

"Rape?"

There was no response, though Anderson shuddered at the thought, revolted by the concept. He put one of his bayonets away to free his hand. He then twisted the raven hair, wrenching the pale face towards him. He frowned when he found that Alucard's eyes were closed.

"Take me back to my own time or I'll try Hellsing's suggestion." He bluffed, but unfortunately received no response for his attempt. He waited, looking at the uncharacteristically expressionless features. "Why don't you speak?" his tone had fallen so that it was quiet but cold. "I know you. You are not one to be threatened or to act in such a servile manner. You can have your head obliterated and you will come back with that damned grin of yours."

By now the red eyes had opened and they analyzed Anderson, flashing and narrowing when they did not find any signs of the priest lying.

Anderson's own eyes narrowed and he laughed without humor. "Now what are you? Eh? Reduced to some man's bitch? A whore?" Anderson smiled in triumph when Alucard hissed, but his eyes widened when the vampire's did. Alucard stiffened and became silent, his lips twitching.

"What was that?" the priest demanded. Alucard didn't look at him, but he saw the vampire's fangs as he scowled at the stones. "That was a decent response for once."

Alucard remained mute.

"ANSWER!" Anderson cracked the back of the vampire's head on the wall and blood dripped from Alucard's ear onto his shoulder. Anderson gasped in fury as the silence persisted. He snarled. "Tell me why I'm here then! Say something, damn it!"

Alucard's face came into view from behind his hair, holding another question. Anderson imagined his words easily and cooled somewhat. "Because it's sickening to see you in such a state. I can't find the vampire I know and hate in you…at least not on the surface." Memories sparked some of his anger again. He lashed out unconsciously and the vampire rebounded off the wall with a hacking cough obscuring the cracking of his spine when it hit a jutting stone. Alucard crumpled, though his bones healed almost instantly, and did not get up even when Anderson demanded that he was to do so.

"Can you not speak? Because I know you can later." Anderson said loudly, though he spoke to himself. He focused on the vampire again and picked him off the ground, perturbed to find him to be extremely light. "So speak!"

Alucard's red eyes gazed at him for a moment and then a smirk caught his lips. Anderson's jaw clenched as did his grip on the bayonet in his fist and he impaled the vampire through the chest. Alucard jerked but was silent and his grin doubled, stretching across his face in an inhuman way. Anderson dragged the blade horizontality through Alucard's flesh, sending a torrent of blood streaming over the belt constructed jumpsuit. Once the blade was free, Anderson felt Alucard shiver slightly for the moments it took him to mend the gaping hole, hanging in the air as the priest gripped his clothing. Anderson let go and let Alucard fall for less than half a second, instantly catching the vampire's throat, making his grin lessen and then return.

"Damn your regeneration." Anderson muttered and Alucard's smile disappeared. He drew in a breath and exhaled sharply, as if annoyed and stared into Anderson's eyes. Curiosity at the telling expression made him draw a line across Alucard's cheek and wait to see if it would heal. As blood dribbled down his chin, Alucard's eyes burned brighter and then dulled completely, unfocusing, and his body relaxed. The cut did not heal and Anderson watched, awed by the discovery.

"You'll do anything I say? All but what I really want you to do?" The priest's anger returned and he cut into the vampire's body, impaling it or simply running the blade across it. Soon the blood loss could be seen on Alucard's face, becoming off white and his hair became lighter, like a dark grey. Anderson stopped and watched the progress of the change in the vampire's hair color, as it became speckled with white strands until they were all uniform. Anderson's gaze was deadened, merciless, when a familiar shivering was felt in his grasp.

Alucard's eyes closed and he grit his teeth when Anderson stabbed the blade into him and left it there to burn into his flesh. Anderson let the trembling continue until he dropped Alucard to the floor abruptly, holding onto the blade so that it widened the wound as it exited. Green eyes reflected the red pool of blood that Alucard landed in and he scowled.

"You can't defend yourself. You can't fight me. It's disappointing, vampire. It makes you seem weak…pathetic." He added the last word to see if it would cause a reaction, but nothing happened. Alucard lay shivering in his own blood, the sight making Anderson's stomach lurch. "Heal yourself."

The vampire followed the order willingly and the blood was drawn back into his body. Alucard wouldn't look up at the priest, no matter how many minutes Anderson stood staring down at him.

"What happened to you?"

Alucard's eyes focused.

"Are you just some common whore?"

The vampire's eyes flashed but he did nothing. Anderson smirked, seeing that he had Alucard's attention.

"Are you raped by that old man? Anyone who wants to fuck can just come to you?"

Though they narrowed, Alucard's eyes dulled again. Anderson started and his smirk quivered as he forced it to remain.

"Is it true?" A melancholy seeped into Alucard's expression and Anderson's smirk gave way and he bit his lip, unable to look away from Alucard's eyes. "God."

The red eyes flew open and he gave a maniacal chuckle.

"Are you laughing at God?" Anderson backhanded Alucard when his laughter redoubled. "Shut up." Alucard grinned. The priest cut off his head. Moments passed and the vampire turned into darkness and reformed, a smile still on his lips. "I told you that you'd return with a grin." Anderson muttered, satisfied for some reason.

The smile lost its crazed potential but lingered for a moment. Anderson noticed with a frown. "What?"

The vampire remained as silent as before and his smile was lost completely while he gazed at the priest with a blank expression. The priest saw thoughts behind the crimson eyes and his face mirrored Alucard's.

"Just say something. It's maddening." Scowling, Anderson waited fruitlessly. Suddenly enervated he sighed and stood with his eyes closed. Alucard's eyes widened when the priest walked to his side and sat down next to him, leaning his back against the wall. Anderson tried not to look at the red eyes and instead he admired the weapons on the wall across from them. Alucard followed his line of sight and watched them for a moment before leaning against the wall and closing his eyes. Anderson noticed but it did not show, as he was facing straight ahead.

"Do you know who I am?"

Alucard sat up and saw that the priest was waiting calmly, plainly showing that he didn't expect much of an answer. He surprised the paladin by shaking his head slowly.

"Hm." Anderson looked at the wall thoughtfully and pulled out another bayonet. Alucard's face deadened and he stiffened considerably as Anderson looked the weapon over. Green eyes turned to him. "I'm not going to hurt you." His own words surprised Anderson, but he frowned at the wide, astounded expression that came to the vampire. He saw the tips of white fangs as Alucard's mouth opened and then closed quickly and he watched the blade and then the priest again.

Anderson looked at the bayonet and ran his hand over the flat side of it. "I'll show you something that will prove that I'm not from this time, though you may already believe me to some extent…" Not really knowing what he was doing, Anderson brought the blade up to his throat and pierced it until the bayonet clashed against the stone of the wall. He looked at the Alucard and he started. Alucard's face showed pure horror and he edged away. He probably thinks I just committed suicide, Anderson mused numbly and he took out the blade as the vampire covered his mouth with his hands. This didn't have the same affect before, Anderson narrowed his eyes at the thought and his neck healed. Alucard showed some surprise at this, and interest sparked in his eyes, but it was overwhelmed with a pressing fear.

He was backing away slowly so Anderson grabbed him before he was out of his reach. "It's science. Human enhancement…" Anderson stopped as Alucard struggled to get away, his hand still covering his mouth, and nose for that matter. Is he disgusted? Anderson thought. His temper threatened and he drew the vampire closer to him with a scowl. Suddenly he saw something flash in Alucard's eyes that battled with his fear. Blood lust, common in any vampire, but he had never seen it in Alucard before. He realized his mistake too late and the vampire had him on the ground. Immediately, Alucard tore himself away from the priest and buried his face in his knees, leaning against the wall again. His hands were over his mouth.

Anderson watched and he bent closer to the vampire who went rigid. He edged nearer, but Alucard jerked and pushed him away sharply, returning to his original position. A pause let Alucard slowly begin to relax, but the sound of a blade slicing through flesh made him stiffen. Anderson grabbed him and shoved his bloodied hand in Alucard's face. Anderson watched with growing disbelief when Alucard whimpered, terrified of the blood and tried to push his hand away, but soon his vampiric nature began to defeat his fear and his fingers tightened around Anderson's wrist.

Moving his hand closer to Alucard, Anderson waited patiently, knowing that he was probably mad in order to be capable of doing something so stupid, but he didn't really care at the moment. Alucard's eyes shone a deep crimson, flaring sparks showing his inner struggle. His eyes fell a bit and he leaned towards the bloodied palm, to recoil a moment later. Anderson forced his hand onto the vampire's mouth. He shuddered as he felt a tongue run over his flesh but he started and retreated from the vampire who suddenly dropped his hand and fell to the side, twisting in agony. Anderson stood up and backed away just as a piercing scream forced him to cover his ears and his feet stopped moving. He watched with growing alarm as Alucard seemed to be assaulted from some unknown force. His screams continued for a few moments before he fell to panting and he curled up on the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

"Alucard?" Anderson watched the figure, unable to connect it with the name. Alucard was seized by a fit of coughing and blood speckled the grey stone. Another whimper came from the body. There was a sickening feeling that visited Anderson for the second time and he looked at his blood covered hand with revulsion. He looked around the cell and found the wall of weapons. He grimaced as he saw a series of towels hanging near them and he went over to them and cleaned off the blood from his throat and hand. He took up another clean one and returned to the vampire. As he came closer, Alucard sat up and pressed his back against the wall. His eyes were wide like a child's and he gazed up at Anderson, trembling. Anderson knelt beside him, and the vampire drew up his knees and pressed into the stone, away from the extended towel. Anderson pressed it against the blood that was smeared over the vampire's mouth. The gentle touch soothed Alucard's trembling and he calmed, though his face became empty as did his eyes as they looked beyond the lenses into Anderson's face.

"What was that?" Anderson whispered, unable to imagine what could make the vampire, who could laugh as he was blown to bits, give in to such an agonized and haunting scream. Alucard's hand slowly drew into some remnants of blood on the ground and scrawled a word. Anderson blinked, not minding the gruesomeness of the act.

_Seal._

"The Hellsing leash?" he murmured to himself and drew the towel away. He hesitated before standing up to go to the door, meaning to toss the soiled towel into the hall, but he was met with two armed men. He recognized them instantly for their Hellsing uniforms. They looked him over and saw Alucard crouched against the wall and then examined the towel in the priest's hand. They smiled greedily at it for a moment and then pleasantly at Anderson.

"Usually there's a lot more blood, but he doesn't scream as loud…unless you found a way to trigger the seal." One of the men looked at the blood that stained Anderson's sleeve. "You got him to try and drink from you?"

"He wasn't able to."

"We heard." The other man said as soon as Anderson had spoken. He closed the door, stepping behind Anderson for a moment. "We've prepared a room for you."

Anderson's brows rose as the men attempted to lead him away from the cell. Suspicion stole over him. "What about locking it?"

They hesitated. "The caretaker will…"

"I'm supposed to make sure it's locked so nothing…unexpected happens during the night. Hellsing warned me to make sure that his men, I'm assuming that means you, would not be able to get into his cell."

"Just a minute or two. We aren't stupid enough to kill him." One of the men looked at him hopefully and the other frowned when their purpose had been given away.

"No. What would Hellsing say if he found out you even asked?" The men got the message and didn't stop Anderson as he went back into the cell.

Alucard watched him curiously, recovered from the damage done by the seal. He was calm and sat casually against the wall. Anderson walked over to him without hesitation and sat down next to him. Moments of peace passed.

"What do you do when you're not…doing a session, as Hellsing referred to it." Anderson looked for the response in Alucard's face, but got a clearer one when the vampire looked up at the cuffs that were positioned above them. "That must be dull. What about the shadows…they are of your doing, right?"

Alucard's mouth formed a slight, ironic smile. He surprised Anderson by touching his arm, but before he could protest, he saw through a multitude of eyes and watched the men he had spoken to moments before walking up the stairs out of the dungeons. Suddenly he had a view of the kitchen and then of maids preparing his room, and then of a window where half of the moon shone out from the night sky.

Returning to see with his own eyes, Anderson found Alucard with his closed. "Hellsing doesn't appreciate them. I think they scare people."

Alucard shrugged to show how little he cared, keeping his eyes closed. He lifted his hand and a moment later a black sparrow came to his finger. He handed it to Anderson who looked at it blankly. It jumped to his arm, little talons clinging to the fabric of his sleeve.

"Well, this one is better." He admitted and watched as it climbed up his arm, to his shoulder. Minutes passed and Anderson and Alucard looked at the little bird, neither inclined to carry on a conversation. A clamoring came from the hall and Anderson shot up, filling with dread as he recognized the sounds of clinking metal. The little bird chirped in alarm as he rushed to the door. He opened it as a group of men reached it and he scowled.

"What is that damn monster trying to do?" one demanded gruffly, trying to pass Anderson, surprised when he couldn't shove the priest out of the way.

"What do you mean?" Anderson's voice was cold, unnerving some of the men.

"The birds." He pointed at the one on Anderson's shoulder. "Hundreds of birds invaded the grounds, though the shadows are gone, these are harder to ignore." One of the men stepped forward and grabbed the little sparrow which chirped piteously as it was crushed in the gloved hand.

"Stop that!" Anderson grabbed the man's arm and pried the bird from his fist, but it was already dead. "Hate the vampire, but what of the bird? What has it done?" he growled and the men looked at him with understanding.

"They're his familiars, they may or may not be real birds, but they are not normal."

"So what are you planning on doing then? Force the vampire to make the birds go away? What are they doing anyway?"

"Yes, and they're dangerous. Anything to do with that monster is dangerous. What if they were wolves?"

"But they're birds. If they were wolves then you would have an argument." Anderson didn't find any hostility focused towards him, only at Alucard. Unfortunately he recognized that the men were generally decent people, how they were able to forgive his rude tone so easily…

"But it shows his power and his freedom outside of the seal. This is his form of rebelling against Sir Hellsing."

Anderson sighed and drew back to the door. "If they become wolves or anything that is indeed dangerous, I'll deal with it. For now, I don't know of anyone who was ever killed by sparrows." With that he closed the door and thanked God when it didn't open again. He passed an amused smirk at the vampire.

"Why did you do that?"

Alucard's eyes followed him as the priest moved towards the wall. This time the Priest didn't sit as he leaned his back against the stone. He sighed again, feeling nagging fatigue. "They killed the bird."

Alucard watched the door and time passed. A nervous tap came and Anderson glanced at the vampire who didn't look at him. When the priest opened the door, a maid stammered that his room had been ready for some time and that it was well past midnight. He noticed the caretaker who peered at his garments for a moment. Anderson looked back at the vampire as the caretaker entered, a mask trying to cover his apprehension. He walked away before he had to watch the caretaker secure the vampire in the cuffs.

As he walked through the dungeon, little birds scampered about his feet, but slowly they disappeared and became shadows once more.

Anderson slept until noon. When he woke, a covered tray rested on a coffee table that was positioned at the end of his bed. He ate slowly, remembering the night before and his current position. The first thing he noticed as he ate what that the gloom was gone, as if the sun had swallowed it whole.

He explored the room a bit, pausing when a maid came to make his bed and to collect the tray. He let her take the tray but he insisted on making the bed himself. She left with a bright smile that he returned. He had seen the crucifix that she wore around her neck.

He busied himself with looking through the bookshelves in his room, and this occupied him until an unseen clock chimed four. Anderson left the room and wandered around a bit, meeting with a manservant who asked him if he would like an early dinner. He said yes and promised that he would be back in his room within an hour. It didn't take him long to find some of the vampire hunters. They accepted him readily and asked him what he had done to make the vampire unleash the multitude of birds. He answered honestly, that he didn't know.

Small talk led to nothing significant. The men knew nothing of Alucard, other than that he was a monster among vampires and that Abraham loathed the creature.

The priest returned to his room and ate alone. Time passed and as the sun set, the caretaker appeared at his door, before leaving, he discreetly slipped two objects into his sleeves.

Anderson chose not to watch as the caretaker unlocked the cuffs and the vampire fell to the floor. He waited for the man to leave before he looked at Alucard who had been waiting patiently for him to do so. A tinge of a smile was on the paladin's face as he took out the small stack of papers and the pen. When the priest handed the objects to the vampire, Alucard was distracted by the pen, which he looked at with doubt.

"You can write, so what's wrong?" Anderson watched Alucard turn the pen over in his hands, not having taken the papers yet. There was a cap on it which Alucard removed awkwardly and he stared at the tip with surprise. He motioned for a paper and drew a swift line across the top. He stopped and stared at it before he wrote.

_What is this?_

"A pen." Anderson said blankly, giving Alucard an odd look.

_What about the well? The ink? How does it write without it?_

"Oh." Anderson looked at the pen again, having over looked the possibility. "It's a ball-point pen. The ink is inside of it and the ball is the tip."

Alucard drew another line, staring at it intently.

_I understand._

An awkward smile made Anderson try and hide it by moving to the wall suddenly, leaning against it. Alucard remained where he was.

_Why did you bring me these?_

"I'm not that great at reading minds."

Alucard thought for a moment.

_Ha._

Anderson couldn't help but chuckle at the show of humor. When he finished he asked a question that he had been mulling over for most of the day. "Why did you make the birds? Why birds? Why sparrows?"

_Those are a lot of questions._

"That's not an answer."

_I like birds._

"What do you mean?" Anderson's mouth threatened to become a frown. "Like..to eat?"

Alucard frowned for him.

_Did you see me eat any of them?_

"Okay. So you like them, meaning you like to look at them, just in general?"

_Yes. Why is that strange? Do you not have preferences?_

"You prefer birds over other animals?"

_Sometimes. Other animals, you are thinking of wolves? I heard last night. Yes, I do like wolves just as someone may like dogs._

Anderson didn't speak for a while.

_What animal do you like then, priest?_

"I don't know." Anderson muttered. "I prefer people."

_People do not prefer me, so you see._

"See what?"

_Why I prefer shadows or sparrows over the forms of people. People are greedy. All you have to give a shadow is protection from the sun and it will never leave you. All you must do for a sparrow is to give it a name apart from other beasts and then give it food and a roost._

"Have you ever tried to do those things for people?"

Alucard paused again.

_When I was not a vampire, and still you know of my names. 'The Impaler' and such._

"You killed and impaled 20,000 men and then ate while admiring them." Anderson's tone betrayed his disgust.

_They were my enemies. I hated the Ottoman Turks, with good reason._

"What reason?"

_Ah. That is a secret._

Alucard smiled and Anderson snorted. "You're evil."

_Do you not have secrets?_

"I wouldn't tell them to you."

'_You're evil.'_

Anderson smirked. There was a quiet.

_What is your name?_

Startled, the priest hesitated. "A…Alexander Anderson, of the Iscariot."

Alucard was occupied with his thoughts and did not write anything.

_Do you know what my name is?_

"Yes." Anderson eyed the vampire, finding the answer obvious. "Alucard. Count Dracula. Vlad Dracula."

_My name is Vladimir Tepes. Vladimir Tepes Dracula III only in the order of Dracula._

"The name sounds familiar." The priest commented. "I'm still going to call you Alucard."

_I didn't expect that to change. I am no longer Vladimir Tepes as I am no longer Count Dracula. My Master has given me a name as another phase of my existence passes. I was born and then lost my life and then lost my freedom, each time being created anew._

Anderson didn't have anything to say so Alucard continued.

_What type of people do you like?_

"Type?" He looked at Alucard's expectant face. "Catholics."

_Alive or dead?_

"What is that supposed to mean?" Anderson growled, disliking the thought of the dead.

_I am Catholic. Does it matter if I am dead?_

"You aren't dead. You're undead." He digested the information. "I knew Vlad was Catholic, but he was insane."

_I'm not living, yes, undead. I suppose I am still insane too, but hence my loathing for the Turks. It is their fault and I knew it then as I know it now._

"You won't explain?"

_Nope._

Anderson paused at the word. "Nope?"

_No. So what of the word? Are you trying to say something?_

"Nope." Alucard caught the harmless humor and gave a slight smile.

_You have some sense of humor. That is good._

"How so?"

_Life is boring without being able to laugh once in a while._

"Not the way you do."

_I am not a part of Life, I need no laughter to find something of an existence._

"How does laughter make an existence?"

_One needs others to have an existence, as an existence is a presence and one must be somewhere to have one, instead of the nowhere one is when one is alone. Laughter is only laughter when it is not empty, and it is not empty when it is shared with another, even if that other is a close memory…one must have held a presence, an existence in that life in order for it to come about._

Alucard let the paladin read what he had written before he turned the page over, having filled the front.

"Perhaps I don't know you as well as I thought."

_How could you? I do not even know myself._

"What do you mean?"

_Just as I said. I have no planned explanation._

"Planned?"

_To answer your question from the other night._

Alucard looked up at the cuffs.

_I have plenty of time to think. The cell is kept so dark that even I cannot see it and my shadows and observations cannot occupy me constantly as routine makes them predictable._

"Don't you like the dark?"

_I like the night. The night has stars even if it is without a moon, though I like the full moon best._

Anderson sat down and Alucard followed his example to allow him to see what he wrote. The priest paused, watching the vampire settle next to him.

"Why don't you speak?"

Alucard looked at him, searching his face for a moment.

_I stopped speaking on purpose but have since…_

He stopped writing, in thought.

"You can't speak?" Anderson shifted his position. "You have a voice, you aren't mute…"

_I cannot speak, form words…_

Anderson's eyes widened as the vampire appeared to speak but he heard nothing.

_I cannot make my voice come of my own accord._

Alucard paused and wrote something quickly before recapping the pen and setting it down.

_It is my time to listen now. I have written much while you have said little._

"What do I have to say?"

Alucard sighed and took up the pen again.

_Anything. You are not young. I know you have lived beyond the years that you appear as. Have you no stories? No ponderings? Nothing at all?_

"But I have more questions than anything else." Anderson said quietly, Alucard blinked in response.

_Don't we all? Now, you have told me your name and that you are of the Iscariot and that you know me from the future. Do not betray the future, but tell me something of yourself. You like Catholics and people more than animals._

"Ask a question and I may answer it."

_Do not read anything into this regarding to what I am, but I could not help but notice that you smell like children. You preside over an orphanage?_

Anderson frowned and nodded but waited for a moment. "You write differently than you speak."

_They are closer to my thoughts. Does it not feel difficult to give your thoughts through speech? Do you not feel that it is easier through writing to do so?_

"Maybe." Anderson crossed his arms, trying to make himself more comfortable on the stone. "By the way…what in God's name are you wearing?"

Alucard started and looked at the jumpsuit.

_It's some ghastly fantasy of my Master, I suppose._

Anderson laughed for a bit, making the mood lighter.

_And it is not very comfortable._

"You would rather have black pants, a black vest, a white, collared shirt, a red ribbon, and a red trench coat."

_That is what I wear in the future? It is what I wore as the Count, when I was captured. I do like the color red._

"Blood." The priest said with distaste.

_I do not wear blood…scratch that. I clean up afterwards anyways. I like red as a color as I like black though it is not blood…then again it is the night and I like white which is the moon…_

Slowly the vampire's hand stopped moving.

_I suppose you are right._

Alucard looked up at Anderson for a moment.

_You are very tall._

"Okay, so?"

_Nothing. Ran out of questions for the moment, so I have comments._

"Comments…" the priest looked at Alucard. "Why are your eyes red?"

_I don't know, because I'm a vampire?_

"Other vampires have their natural eye color."

_I don't know why._

"Why did you decide to make those birds last night? Was it because I said that the shadows scare people?"

_I wanted to show you that what I make does not have to be frightening. The sparrows did not scare anyone. The maids liked them and the few children of the servants that live here were enjoying them. You like children?_

"I 'preside over' an orphanage." Anderson made use of the vampire's words.

_None of you own, though. You are a priest…_

"None."

_Do you feel like their father though they are not of your blood?_

"Perhaps." Anderson said unwillingly, not enjoying the topic with a vampire who, in the stories, had been said to feed children to his wives. "Why do you make fledglings?"

Alucard didn't write anything.

"What?" he narrowed his eyes from habit as the vampire analyzed his face.

_I sometimes like the company of those of my own kind. It is selfish mostly, though sometimes I do it if I feel like the individual's life is not meant to be over at that point in time or if it spared them from something…horrible even in my eyes._

"Do you suppose you are God, vampire?"

Alucard frowned at the hostile tone, a glare threatening to emerge.

_You save lives, I do what I can in the same mindset._

"You kill them and damn their souls."

_I am damned?_

"Yes." Anderson said automatically. He flinched when Alucard laughed.

_I am horrible, then. I drag others with me into Hell because…_

"Just because? Then…."

_The night can be lonely. That is my sin. Greed._

Anderson's mouth formed a line and he stared at the paper, even as it became blank when the vampire set another over it. "You are lonely?"

_Well, I am alone, priest. God does not want me. Man does not want me. Shut in here, all I can do is make my own company._

"The sessions…"

_What good are they if they only bring more of the feeling? Leaving one empty as one is told that they are nothing and are used as a mere object of interest. I would rather die. Then perhaps I could find company in the devil as I am said to be his child. He cannot be worse than my own father._

"Your…?"

_I hate the subject and refuse to dwell on it._

"Fine. Don't bring it up then or I'll have the right to ask questions." Anderson grumbled. "But about the sessions. What are they? I am supposed to be conducting one and I don't even know what it is."

_My Master's punishment for me. Ones who hold much anger let it out on me, even if their passion has no relation to my kind. Others come for various reasons. Then there are personal grudges that are quelled. They are not pleasant._

"You have slept with men?"

_Rape is not sex, priest. It is rape and nothing but a violent, hateful, destructive act. I am evil, despised, and yet have never committed the act of raping someone._

"You hate it." Anderson said to make the point clearer.

_With a passion. I impale rapists on stakes. They deserve to suffer more, but are usually dead before I get a hold of a stake…_

Anderson knocked Alucard's hand to make him stop. "'With a passion.' Was enough. I hate vampires."

_What do you do to them?_

"Cut off their heads and stab them in the heart."

_Ah. I remember. Not very pleasant for the vampire. Why do you hate vampires?_

"Because of what they do and the abominations that they are."

_I am an abomination?_

"Yes."

_Do you hate me?_

"Yes."

Alucard didn't write a response.

"What of you? You must hate people, especially those who hunt you."

_Some perhaps, but not most of them. I dislike those that come here to my cell. I hate my Master, but you would too in my position._

"Do you hate me?" Anderson who smirked darkly, looked at the paper for the response, when it didn't come he noticed that Alucard was looking at him.

_No. I like you. You remind me of myself and a little of my Master, the good parts of both._

Anderson bit his lip, disliking the answer. "But I hate you."

_You said you would not hurt me._

"Then I forced you to drink blood and the seal did."

_You didn't know._

"I forced you to drink my blood because I saw that it scared you."

_That was cruel, but so what? I've been known to do cruel things and it means nothing when it is returned to me._

"I did hurt you, before. Cutting off your head, not allowing you to regenerate."

_Why not now? You have not done anything since the seal. You were kind._

"So? It was pity!" Anderson stood up and glared at Alucard, but the vampire kept his head bent over the papers.

_You knew that I fear rape but did not follow through with your threat._

"Because you couldn't help me! Instead of not doing it to spite me!"

_You tried to talk to me. I liked you since that time._

"_You are the first to try to talk to him."_ Anderson remembered Hellsing's words. "Why do you hate Abraham van Hellsing?"

_He stole my freedom, killed my fledglings, took away my name, tortured me, ripped me of any dignity and pride, he raped me and brought others who would also do so, he hates me, he blames me for all of his misery, he locks me up, he makes others despise me, and he made me forget how to speak as he refused to let me remember. He is hurting me even when he is not here. The seals carved into my flesh give me indescribable agony at times. He also starves me and cuts into me and puts chemicals and strange things in my body. He is erasing my existence and replacing me with something else._

"I hate you, I hurt you, I've tortured you, I've taken your dignity, I want to erase your whole race, and I've taught others to hate you and have blamed you for my misery."

_Your list is shorter and you have done things that erase all of those._

Anderson wrenched the papers from his hands to reread the list. "So what? It does not matter! I would do all of those things given time! Hell, I would kill you!" He yelled, glowering at the vampire. He waited for an answer and then remembered that the vampire needed the papers in his hands. He ripped them in half, waiting long enough to see Alucard's eyes twitch, and he turned and stalked out of the cell. He went to his room, anger making him oblivious of the two familiar men that saw him pass by.

The men looked at one another and agreed that it was a sign from God. They went into the dungeons and found the vampire's cell unlocked.

Alucard started and watched with dread as the door creaked open and the smell of children did not touch the air. The two hunters entered with gleeful expressions, they walked past the wall of weapons, choosing from the variety, taking their time.

Anderson went into his room and closed the door. He tossed the papers onto the coffee table and growled in frustration as he realized he had forgotten the pen. He threw himself on his bed and tossed a pillow at the wall. Suddenly little claws pricked his head as the bird hopped on him, chirping persistently. "Get away!" he put a pillow over his head and there was silence for a moment. To his annoyance the little black sparrow wriggled under the pillow and reached his ear where it continued to chirp and pecked at him. With a roar, Anderson sat up and gripped the little bird, making it screech and he threw it at the wall. It struck the wallpaper with a sharp chirp and fell to the floor. It got up lopsidedly, one of its wings hanging out at an angle, and attempted to go to the bed again. It reached the side of the mattress, standing just under where it was suspended above the wooden floor, and began to chirp as loudly as its little lungs would allow.

Anderson snarled and tried to grab the sparrow but it went under the bed with a terrified squeak. Anderson paused but threw himself to the floor and reached under the bed when the bird started chirping again. He managed to grab it and he tightened his fist, dragging it out, and then tossed it at the closed window. It struck the glass and fell to lie in a heap on the floor, it but started giving off a rasping sound that resembled the chirping from before. Anderson walked over to the bird, alarmed at the disturbing sound and peered down at it, crouching to get a better look.

Its wing twitched piteously and it stared up at him helplessly. The little beak continued to open and close as it lost the ability to rasp. Every angle of its body was off, its bones, obliviously shattered. Anderson picked it up carefully and felt it quiver lightly and then die. The room was silent. Sickened, Anderson stood up and set the dead sparrow on the torn papers and looked at them together for several moments.

Anderson left his room, surprised to find that the air was clear and the shadows were gone. The dead sparrow was still on his coffee table, resting on the torn papers. I'm just retrieving the pen, he said to himself as he walked down the halls and then the stair into the dungeon. He continued, nearing the vampire's cell. But here he froze, hearing a pair of voices inside. The words were muffled by the door, but Anderson knew with dawning horror that he had forgotten about the hunters. Anderson opened the door slowly, dreading what he knew would be revealed.

The two men started and paled somewhat when they saw the paladin walk in and stop at the doorway. He just stared at the bloody mess. Gashes bled profusely all over the vampire's body, including his face. Anderson couldn't tell if he had any eyes or if they were just hidden under the mask of flowing blood. A stake stuck out from his chest and his fingers were twisted in unnatural ways. But the figure was completely silent, and unmoving. He didn't tremble or whimper. He did nothing.

"Get out." Anderson managed weakly. The men looked at one another, igniting the paladin's temper. "GET OUT!" The men dropped what they were holding and dashed for the door, stopping as the priest slowly got out of their way. One of them barely remembered to close the door, as it was a spark of courage that led him to come back to the cell to close it. A familiar silence ensued.

Anderson walked over to the vampire slowly, numbed by the unexpected turn of events. God, it was like something straight out of a horror movie. Blood dripped from the walls where arcs and random droplets painted it. He stopped and turned to grab a few of the towels before going to Alucard and he kneeled down next to him, not bothering to spare his pants from being caked in blood. Guessing what the men had done in order to leave Alucard in such a state, Anderson murmured that it was okay for the vampire to heal himself.

The blood was still for a second and then began to move back into the vampire, reforming his features and eyes. The puddle lessened and finally disappeared entirely, but the blood on the wall remained where it was. Alucard's face was calm and his eyes were closed, giving the impression that he was sleeping.

"Alucard, look at me."

Red eyes opened.

"I…" Anderson gritted his teeth and looked away from the vampire, deciding to look for any extra blood that had been left on his person. But Alucard was spotless and looked as if nothing had happened. He cleared his throat and gave a fleeting look at Alucard. "I…forgot about them." He murmured and waited for the vampire to speak. With a pang he remembered that the papers were left in his room, along with the bird… "I killed one of your birds."

Alucard didn't respond in any way, just continuing to stare up at the paladin's pale face.

Anderson put the forgotten weapons on the racks and hung up the towels again and left, unable to stay in a cell a second longer. He made sure to find the caretaker to tell him to lock up the cell and he went back only to make sure that it was done. No sparrows could be seen in the halls, and only the dead one rested in his room.

The day was both fast and long, but it passed just the same and that night. Anderson entered the cell after the caretaker had uncuffed the vampire. He walked over to where Alucard sat underneath the cuffs, watching the priest. Taking some papers from his sleeve he handed them to Alucard, who didn't take them. After a moment, Anderson decided to set them on the vampire's lap. He straightened and looked around the floor to find the pen wedged in the crevice between the wall and the floor. He also set it on the vampire's lap and then opened his other hand to reveal the dead bird. Alucard looked at it and then looked down at his lap. After a moment he took up the pen and papers.

_I don't want it._

"Why?" Anderson's voice was a little unsteady.

_It's dead._

"It's a part of you, right?"

_It's dead._

"Then what do I do with it?"

_I don't care. It's yours now._

"Well, I don't want it either!" he struck the floor with his boot and grimaced at how childlike the gesture was.

_Then toss it out the window._

"No." Anderson glared at the vampire now. "That's disgusting."

_You crushed its body and it suffocated as its lungs filled with its own blood. It was a quite unpleasant experience._

"So it is you!" he almost gasped out the words in his exasperation. "Damn it! Take the fucking bird, Alucard!" He threw it at the vampire before he could stop himself and it bounced off of Alucard's chest and landed on his papers. He picked it up and put it on his leg, pausing for a moment.

_It's dead._

"I KNOW IT'S DEAD YOU DEMON SPAWN!" the priest's voice echoed for a moment before it died away.

_Why does that upset you?_

"Shut up."

_I didn't say anything._

Anderson snarled but turned away from the vampire. "I'm sorry." He muttered. The priest glanced down to look at the paper but didn't find anything other than the previous sentence. Alucard was looking up at him, petting the bird that was now cleaning its wings. Anderson spun around and gaped at it and it chirped at him in response. It gripped the straps of Alucard's garment and climbed up to his shoulder.

_It's still dead, but that's because I'm dead._

"That was a dirty trick." Anderson's voice was quiet, and he watched the happy little bird with a tight frown. "So it is you?" He looked away from the bird long enough to read the paper.

_Yes._

Anderson gave an exhausted laugh/sigh, and fell against the wall and slid down into a sitting position next to the vampire. He put out his finger and the bird instantly hopped onto it.

_It likes you._

"Stupid vampire." The priest muttered halfheartedly. "Don't talk about it as if it's not you."

_Do you like birds?_

A nod was all Alucard received and his face was emotionless though the bird chirped happily. The vampire watched for a moment before pulling up his knees and hugging them. He rested his head on the black buckles.

"Alucard?" Anderson looked past the bird that was trying to climb on his glasses. Alucard was still for a moment before he slowly let go of his legs to scrawl something on a piece of paper. He held it up for a moment so that Anderson could read it and then he put his head back on his knees.

_I'm just tired._

"It can't be passed 8 o'clock." The priest stared at Alucard who didn't bother to write a response, just shrugging his shoulders. Anderson recalled the night before with a grimace and he brought his attention back to the chirpy little bird. Minutes passed and the priest ventured to look at the vampire again. He waited for a moment and then leaned over to push the locks of hair out of his face. His jaw tightened, knowing that Alucard was fast asleep from his peaceful, unguarded expression. Anderson watched him sleep, petting the bird absently. He lifted one knee while the other he left straight out in front of himself and he rested his elbow on his knee. Slowly, he set his face on his hand, still watching the vampire while the bird hopped from one of his shoulders, to the other.

Abraham van Hellsing walked up to the entrance to the Hellsing estate, hoping to find it free of the clinging miasma of murky shadows. Instead he found an army of little black sparrows chirping after the maids and hiding on the chandelier, away from his men as more glided over the floor, escaping the hands of a group of giggling children. He nearly closed the door, thinking that he had stepped into some kind of sick, Wonderland fantasy and he cringed when one of the butlers greeted him, followed by the rest of the staff that was present. A little bird made its way over to him and he gazed down at it.

All of the birds fell silent as the cracking of the unfortunate sparrow's body replaced their chirping, and Abraham lifted his boot off of the little bird, his eyes narrowing as it made a tiny puddle of blood. The children ran away and the maids gasped as Hellsing made his way through the sea of petrified birds, stepping on the ones that ended up under his hard, leather boots. The maids covered their faces and retreated after the children and the men stood silently under the chandelier. When Abraham disappeared they gazed wordlessly at the broken birds that lay amongst the ones that shivered in terror. When they moved to leave the room, they shuffled their feet to avoid stepping on any more of the little sparrows.

Abraham meanwhile scowled and shook his boots to rid them of the collecting mass of feathers. Birds watched him come and continued to watch as the towering shadow of his boot would raise over their heads and they would recoil quietly, pressing into the stone floor as it either crushed them or continued overhead. The man wasn't even looking at the sparrows anymore, he stared straight ahead as he approached the cell door to his slave.

He tested the door and started when he found it to be unlocked. Incredulous, he pushed the door opened and stared at the two figures that greeted him, both sitting against the wall. There were no sparrows here, except for one that chirped happily on one of the figures. Abraham walked over to them, staring at the priest who was dead asleep, his face in his hand, directed towards Abraham's sleeping slave who was hugging his knees and sleeping like a child. He had never seen such a peaceful, content look on the vampire's face and he glared at the little bird on the priest's shoulder. It seemed oblivious of the danger and it hopped off of Anderson and beat its little wings until it rested on Abraham. It chirped again, in Hellsing's ear and the man tired to look at it on his shoulder. Finding he couldn't, he grabbed the bird which gave a sharp shriek and then fell, crushed, to the floor where it twitched and fell silent under the man's boot.

Hellsing bent down and shook the priest's shoulder, startling him. Anderson stared at Abraham, disoriented.

"What are you doing?"

Anderson flinched at the cold tone and he stood up, brushing himself off. "The session?" he mumbled.

"What did you say your name is?"

"I didn't." The men stared at one another with building dislike. "Can we step into the hall…I would like to talk to you about something."

Abraham's eyes narrowed. "The same goes for me."

The men went to the door and left the vampire sleeping next to the dead sparrow.

"You are familiar with magic and other such…things, correct?" Anderson looked at Hellsing's hard blue eyes.

"Of course."

"Then you'll believe me when I say that I'm not…from your time period."

Abraham's eyes widened and a new hostility came to his demeanor. "Who are you?"

"Alexander Anderson of the Iscariot…I can prove that I'm from a time that has not yet become the Present."

Anderson went on to draw out a bayonet and he slid it through his arm with a grimace and he showed Abraham as it healed. "It's human enhancement studies…"

"I know about those." Abraham said quietly, secretly enthralled by the priest.

"I'm also much older than I appear."

"I would figure, because of the durability of the cells in your body…"

"I know a Hellsing in my time, and have often fought against the vampire." Abraham blinked but said nothing. "Alucard is the primary asset for the Hellsing organization's attack on the vampire populations."

"So?"

"I suddenly found myself here, and the only organization with a vampire that might be capable of doing such a thing is this one."

Abraham looked at the priest for a moment. "Alucard doesn't have such an ability, as of now."

"Do you have any ideas…?"

"If it's some spell I may be able to help you. All I would have to do it reverse the flow of energy that is keeping you here, or we could wait until the energy runs out, then the spell will reverse on its own. But that could be at any time, a minute or ten years, it's impossible to know."

The men looked at one another and came to an agreement. They moved through the sea of birds into the upper levels of the Hellsing mansion. Anderson looked around as he walked into Hellsing's office, imagining Integra at work in it for a moment.

Abraham strode over to his bookcase and ran a finger over the backs of the books. He muttered to himself while he scanned the titles, surprising Anderson when he pulled a book out and tossed it onto his desk. "Here it is." He opened the dusty pages and flipped thought the one's that had their edges folded over. His eyes ran back and forth over the page and he smiled. "It's a simple alchemic circle, we can just use Alucard for this."

"Eh?" Anderson stared at him dumbly and the man grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room.

"Wake up."

Alucard opened his eyes and gasped when he found Abraham crouched next to him. He edged away but the man grabbed his arm in an iron grasp.

"Father Anderson needs some of your blood in order to return."

The vampire stared at his Master, unable to comprehend why the man was telling him this when he normally would have just taken the blood without warning. Soon enough, the man took out a dagger and slit Alucard's wrist over a small chalice he held in his other hand. He waited for a few seconds, until the wound closed. Hellsing stood up and went to Father Anderson who stood in the middle of the cell looking at Alucard's confused expression.

Abraham dipped his finger in the blood and made Anderson gasp when he drew a circle on his brow. Anderson tried to wipe it off but Abraham slapped the hand with a growl. "Don't touch it." He continued to draw two five pointed stars, one on top of the other at different angles and he drew a few pagan runes in and around them, muttering to himself. Anderson looked away from him and saw that Alucard was holding up a piece of paper.

_You'll be gone any second. My Master is quite abrupt, as is his magic. Goodbye._

As soon as Anderson read the last words he fell into darkness.

Abraham looked at the empty space and sighed as a smug look caught his aged face. He turned around and started at the vampire who was still holding up the piece of paper. Alucard wrote something on the paper before Abraham could question him.

_Master, do you like sparrows?_

Abraham stared at the paper and his lips twitched into a frown. "What is this?"

_A piece of paper and something called a ball-point pen._

His brow rose at the words. "You still have a mind."

_Why did you crush my birds?_

"Perhaps not." The man muttered darkly. He growled when the dead sparrow got up and flitted to his shoulder. He paused when it snuggled against his chin.

_I think the bird likes you, Master._

Sir Integra Wingate's Hellsing never shrieked like a little girl until the morning Alexander Anderson suddenly materialized in her office with an alchemy circle drawn in blood on his forehead. Integra shot up out of her seat, gaping at the startled priest. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" She practically, no she definitely, screamed.

"I…" Anderson tired to cut in, but the Hellsing butler crashed into the room and the old man stared at the disheveled priest. "I…"

"What are you doing here, Father Anderson?" Walter demanded, slipping his gloves on.

"I…"

"Anderson?"

Anderson whirled around on the last voice that interrupted him.

"GIVE ME A CHANCE TO FINISH A FUCKIN' SENTENCE, DAMN YOU!" he blinked at the wide red eyes. "Alucard?"

Alucard's shocked expression made the room freeze.

"That's one of Abraham's circles." He looked at the blood and narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, I accidentally met him."

"Is that my blood, priest?"

"Yes."

There was silence.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH MY BLOOD AND ABRAHAM VAN HELLSING?"

One hundred years prior to this moment, Abraham blinked, imagining that he heard his mute slave screaming out his name.

"He used it to bring me back."

Alucard closed his mouth when Anderson began to wipe the blood away with evident disgust. The three just stared at the priest until the blood was gone. Anderson noticed when he finished and he looked at Alucard. "I can prove it."

"The circle and my blood were proof enough." Alucard muttered, drawing out a silver pistol.

"You really don't remember, though?"

"I was here, not there. Magic and time are complicated. The whole thing might just become erased, only existing in your memory."

Anderson didn't seem to notice that Alucard had his gun leveled at his heart.

"Do you still like sparrows?"

Integra and Walter sputtered or coughed and Alucard's eyes went wide again.

"I do."

"Jesus Christ." Walter muttered under his breath. "Sir Integra, I've gone mad."

"The I have too, Walter, and I'm not even past 30." She lit a cigar and fell into her seat.

"You can make little black ones that are really annoying?"

"Yes."

"But Hellsing used to crush them when he walked."

Integra flinched at this and Walter frowned when Alucard said yes. The vampire put the gun away.

"Master."

"What?" Integra blew out a cloud of smoke.

"I've gone insane as well…and I've never been sane."


End file.
